By JENNA CARPENTER
jenna.carpenter@staugustine.com
When Pedro Menendez de Aviles landed on what later became the Mission Nombre de Dios in 1565, he claimed the land in the name of the Spanish king.
His act sparked a protest on that same land 450 years later by a group of people who believe he “committed acts of terror and theft” against the indigenous people of St. Augustine.
The group, made up of members of the Resist 450 coalition, lined up Tuesday in front of the Mission Nombe de Dios and in boats on the Mantanzas (sic) River to protest the reenactment of Menendez’s landing. They say it was “celebrating the genocide” of the native population.
According to the Resist 450 website, its mission is to “assure the survival of future generations by removing walls and barriers to peace, while promoting peace and respect among all peoples.”
It supports Bobby C. Billie, a spiritual leader and member of the Council of the Original Miccosukee Simanolee Nation of Aboriginal People.
The council is an independent group that lives in South Florida, separate from the federally recognized and casino-rich Seminole Tribe of Florida, according to a recent article in Folio Weekly.
“This is not even your country; when you first stepped onto this land, you were lost,” Billie said during a 2013 city commission meeting. “We fed you and taught you how to survive on this land, and you turned around on us, and you started killing us. We fought back in order to survive.”
Billie addressed the commission about its “refusal to tell its true history,” the website said.
“You cannot change it, and you cannot forget,” Billie said.
As the boat carrying reenactors portraying Menendez and his crew sailed into the inlet Tuesday, chants like “no honor, no pride” and “Menendez caused genocide” were heard coming from protesters on canoes and kayaks.
At least a dozen protesters met the boat as Menendez, portrayed by Chad Light, made landfall.
While some took to the water, others stood along the entrance of the mission, holding signs in protest.
Cordelia Finley, who traveled to St. Augustine from Oregon, was one of them.
Finley, who has been in St. Augustine for about a week, said she came to lend support to the cause after she heard Billie needed supporters.
Places like the Old Jail and the Castillo de San Marcos are perpetuating the crimes committed against St. Augustine minorities, she said.
“St. Augustine is the Disneyland for genocide and is being treated as a tourist attraction,” she said. “It’s disgusting.”
Another protester was overheard telling spectators that they were participating in the genocide and holocaust of millions of people.
The protest was “pretty typical,” and they and those involved had a right to be there, said Mark Samson, a spokesman for the St. Augustine Police Department. .
“They made their point, they got loud and people were made aware of their complaints,” Samson said. “They were warned about trespassing, and most people respected that.”
While the protest remained peaceful, six people were arrested on conduct-related charges, he added.
Two people were arrested by the city police and four boaters were arrested by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
The Mission wasn’t the only place Resist 450 supporters were seen over the Celebrate 450! weekend.
One of its goals is to replace the Castillo de San Marcos and replace it with an indigenous structure, according to the website.
The protesters, who camped out at the fort Sunday, held signs saying “tear down the fort” and “this was a prison.”
The Castillo de San Marcos represents a “military mind that abused, murdered and sought to extinguish innocent aboriginal indigenous human beings” who were “living their way of life on their own land,” Billie said on the group’s 450 page. “Until the fort/prison comes down and is replaced by an original aboriginal structure — there can be no celebration.”
COMMENTS
Firstcoaster 09/08/15 - 09:07 pm Bless their hearts!
1 comment:
Because nothing "bad" ever happens here! Right?
Post a Comment